So Sorry

6 months!!!!

That I have made some friends worry about the boys and myself. Today has not been any easier but I am not doing it alone. My mom and Brian are here. Mom has fed Brandon all day so far and I have fed John... who is still being a stinker. I am having trouble getting even 5 ounces in him at noon, he had 6 ounces at breakfast. Brandon had his full bottle this morning and 6 1/2 ounces at noon, that one being a hard feed as well.... and remember this is all being held, not in there boppy's or highchairs.
I know we will get through this but I truly do not know what is going on. We have our check-up this coming Wednesday and this will be talked about as well as getting shots :-(

Anyhow the boys are 6 MONTHS OLD!!

***the boys take their bottle first then have food and John is now back on preemie formula as of last night at 8pm***

Today was not my day

I was alone all afternoon.... on my own accord and it has been the worst day since I became a mother. I have to admit now and please don't think wrong of me but this is the longest I have been alone with the boys... yes only 6 hours. I have been alone with them overnight but they were sleeping. So today I had them since noon. The noon feed was miserable. I fed them at the same time and that was okay till they had about 3 ounces and then they started looking around and trying to pull the bottle out of their mouth and just stopped eating. So I picked up John and tried to make him take his bottle, we got to 5 ounces and he spit up a bunch. I had to have my mom feed Brandon as it was already 12:15 and I was no where close to finishing with John. Brandon took at least 6 ounces and then mom fed him. I fed John his food and mom left. They went down around 1pm and slept till around 2 or 2:30, i can't even remember. Then they woke up and cried till I fed them at 3:45. I tried the same thing because they were just both crying non-stop. They did the exact same thing. So after I got 3 ounces in them both I pick Brandon up and he finished his bottle and then I picked John up and coaxed him to drinking around 6 ounces and then he spit up yet again. He did not even want squash and oatmeal. I got it down him but it was not fun at all. I know what they can drink and eat so I know I am not over feeding them I just don't know what the deal is. They played for about 45 minutes to an hour after they ate and went down... they crying was over. They woke up right when daddy came in and the crying has started again, John just won't stop. We are thinking about going back to the preemie formula. We just don't know what else to do. I have to say I cried through feeding John because I feel so defeated and I just feel like I can't do this alone. Mom will be here tomorrow to help so we can go to little gym then she goes to the lake at 2pm... we shall see how tomorrow goes. Please pray for us all!

Dinner

Dinner first of all was somewhat better...

*** if you look closely they are trying to hold their bottle which is good and bad***

The lights were out from a storm, which never happens at our house but it was quiet so that was good!



I put the boys in their infant seats to see if they would not move around as much. It helped a little. I was still not able to make them take their whole bottle. Most of the time when they are in their infant seats or highchairs they always leave an ounce. Hopefully they will get use to it and take their whole bottle.... did I mention that at noon while mom and I fed them in our arms they took the full bottle.



I have the podee bottles but I do not know if they have a strong enough sucking reflex to use them. I will try them tomorrow just to see!

Random pic of Brandon sitting and John and his feet

Lunch Feeding

From this mornings feeding till noon went well. Mom cleaned my house while I played with the boys and stuff. I decided that feeding them at the same time is not my thing so I fed Brandon first.... well that didn't go was I wanted. Brandon seems to like to grunt through his noon feed, he usually has his BM around this time so he takes longer to eat! I fed him around 11:45am but by noon he was not done so I had mom feed John. So I did not feed them both which I am totally bummed because I thought I could. I did give them both their green beans and apple sauce though. At 4pm I am going to try again but putting them in their infant seats that recline a little better than their high chairs and try it that way at the same time.

We shall see!

The First Feeding

First off, Brian got the book done at blurb.com
Alright, the boys woke up around 7am which was awesome and I had everything ready for them by 7:30am. My mom was here just to watch out for me as I fed the boys and if I needed any help. I put the boys in their high chairs and fed them their vitamin which Brandon took with no problem, John was a little slower but not bad! Then they both started doing their thing.... looking around, trying to pull the bottle out of their mouth and trying to hold it. That in lies the problem I have with feeding them at the same time, they do not just take a bottle! So I stopped feeding John and took Brandon and feed him in my arms and then did the same with John. Feeding them their prunes and oatmeal was fine in their highchairs. The bottle is going to be my battle. Anyone have any solutions?
Also John has a very sensitive tummy.... he is rolling all the time now (as is Brandon) but when he rolls on his tummy he throws up, not just spit up but throws up. It smells and it happens at least twice after every feeding when he starts to play. He spits up all day long and I can handle that but the throw up is getting to me.

Update after lunch....

My time has come!

I have been very spoiled. The boys have been home for almost 5 months now from the hospital. I have had constant help since then... yes I know I have had help for 5 months. I know the moms I know of multiples probably think I am ridiculous for having help this long but I have been very scared to do it on my own.
Well my time has come and I have to be a mother of twins. My mother-in-law who helps is having surgery tomorrow (please pray it goes smotthly) and my mother needs to have her own life outside of me and the boys. I truly do not know how mothers of multipes do it because I know I am scared to death of it. How do you handle two crying babies, two hungry babies, two babies that get bored and need to be entertained, and two babies needing to get out of the house? Did i say it scares me to death? Brandon and John are not the easiest to feed and are cat nappers so every day is different. How am I going to do this?
Anyhow my mom will come over tomorrow and just hang out while I do everything for the boys... feed them, play with them, deal with them while crying and everything that comes with it. I truly don't know if I can do it. Please pray that God gives me patience because I really lack that and please pray that I can get through the day without asking my mom to help me and that I can truly take care of my boys alone as God intended for me to do. He gave me twins so I know I can do it, well He knows I can do it. Tomrrow will be very interesting and I am NOT looking forward to it!

Oh my the way Brian did the coolest thing for me for our anniversary... He made my blog into a book. From the day we found out we were pregnant to a year later. Pretty cool!!!

BYE BYE

Preemie formula!!!!

We were able to switch from Enfamil Enfacare (22 calories) to regular formula. We are actually switching the boys to Gentlease because of John's spit-up. We are so excited to change formula!

The boys are still not wanting their full bottle. They just seem to be picky but the pedi said as long as they get 6 ounces every bottle... well all I will say is we are trying!

It was good to get away this past weekend but it was not at all relaxing. Brian had a work party and just getting ready for it and entertaining is exhausting. We had a good time but I am tired. It was great getting back to the boys, we really did miss them and they looked so different and seem a bit more active. However they were not the sweet boys I left. John would not eat for me at 4pm and then he cried most the rest of the day. He was really tired. Brandon was good until I fed him at 8pm then he didn't want his full bottle. I had to wait about 5-7 minutes and try again and he finally finished it. John was falling asleep at his bottle for daddy! Maybe it is just the parents ;-)

Anyhow, it is good to be back.

One thing

before I go...

I'M LOSING MY MIND!

I have a wipe warmer for the boys behind and it has a pad at the bottom that keeps the wipes warm. Every once in awhile I have to put it in water to keep it working and today was the day. I put it in the guest bathroom sink (the boys bathroom) and started the water. Well a few minutes later the bathroom floor was flooded with water! Yep, I flooded the bathroom.
Also, the boys seem very disinterested in their milk. They do not want it. I don't know what is going on with either of them. It is so frustrating.

ok bye

Blogging

I will not be blogging for the next three or four days! Brian and I will be traveling to the lake for our 4 year anniversary (which is today). We are going without Brandon and John and our wonderful parents, both sides, will be taking care of our crazy little boys. Brian is also having a support outing ( a group of co-workers) come up to the lake for some "bonding" time on Saturday. This time should be fun but I have not been away from the boys longer than 24 hours... if that. This is going to be so hard for me but I know I need it as I am tired and most likely annoying my mother! So please pray for Brian and I that we can get through the next three night, four days without coming home early. Please pray that the boys do AWESOME with my mom and Debbie tonight and with Brian's parents this weekend.

Talk to you all when we get back.

Oh, the rashes the boys have is most likely eczema so we are working on fixing that up and have restarted their veggies!

Rashes and Fathers Day

Twins do the weirdest things... like get rashes together!
I noticed John had a raised rash on his back a few days back. Then I noticed Brandon has it too. The only difference is that Brandon's is splotchy and John's is all over his back. We think it might be food allergies so we are backing off from the veggies we have introduced and waiting to see if the rash will disappear. We will re-introduce the veggies again and see what happens. Right now they are eating oatmeal, prunes and applesauce.

They are both sitting up by themselves for a short amount of time but it is getting longer and longer. We are loving it!!!

Well Brian said he loved his first fathers day. It was just like any other day except I made him breakfast! Other than that we just hing out with family and with the boys. He also said he loved his gifts and were glad that they were made by the boys. I am glad they made it memorable for him. He is such a hard guy to get stuff for so I was glad he liked it all.

Gifts for Daddy

Here are some pictures of what the boys got daddy for his 1st Fathers Day.

We even signed the card
Please teach us to play cards daddy.... Brian is a big poker fan!
close upHere are my feet daddy!! I promise my feet are not pink daddy!
Ok, those are not PINK feet.... they are RED!!! I put a picture of the paint I used to show you.

And here is another gift the boys made for daddy. We hope he enjoys it

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Splashin' around

Not the best resolution but you get the picture!

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Simon Says

Flip over....

Just 4 days after his brother flipped from his back to his tummy...

JOHN FLIPPED OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

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***I will put up a video of Brandon when I can catch hin in the act***

YEAH

John Doing the "twin" thing
Brandon

John is sleeping through the night again!!



They boys at night are in stage 2-3 diapers so they dont soak through and it is working!!!



Brandon if wanting can sit up unassisted for about a minute!!



They are both taking 7 ounces plus food three times a day.... we never thought they would take almost a full bottle!!

A year ago today

A year ago today Brian and I found out we were pregnant. I can remember the day so clearly. Brian was mowing the lawn and I had an appointment Monday for my blood test and I just could not wait to take a test because I knew it was negative. I would of bet money on it. So if you know me I just wanted to get the thing over with and cry and move on. I went into the bathroom and took a test and did not even have to wait to see the results, TWO LINES!! After so many heartbreaks and too many negative tests it was POSITIVE. I was just in shock. I did not know what to do. I walked outside with the test and made Brian stop mowing and handed it to him. He looked at me and said "what does this mean?" I looked at him and smiled and we walked inside with out a word. We sat down at the kitchen table and looked at each other hugged and Brian said we were pregnant but not to get excited because we are not sure what this really meant. Going through IVF you always questioned things! So after getting back the blood results we could celebrate. WE WERE PREGNANT! Who could believe later we would find out we were expecting twins.

What an exciting, scary and eventful year it has been!

For the family

Finally a picture of momma and the boys... my family has told me that I never have pictures taken of me! I got a new haircut, I call it the mommy cut.

!!!HELP!!!

Since the boys are sleeping through the night (John is still asleep from 8:15pm last night and it is 7:37am) we are having issues with them peeing through their diaper and through their outfit. I think that is what wakes Brandon up so early so he gets cranky real easy because he is still sleepy. Any ideas what can help this.... do we just need to go to stage 3 at night? I need a fix for this... any one know what to do?

Attention Getter

Brandon rolled from back to tummy!!!

We were at a family birthday party for Brian's family and we are all sitting in the living room while some family were opening gifts and Brandon decided that he wanted all the attention and rolled over. It was so great that the family got to see it with us for the first time... everyone clapped and yelled!

Boys

Clean mouth...

Dirty mouth...

Friday Firsts

CIO day 3-- John slept through the night. We ended up last night propping his bed up on one side and that might of helped but I am thinking it is that he only took one nap yesterday. He just would not go down. It was so frustrating so I think he was just really tired.

John also held his bottle through most of his feeding this morning... WOW

We got highchairs!!! So from now on I think that is where they will be fed and if I don't have help that is where they will take their bottle also.

The boys had sweet potatoes today.

The family all went to Little Gym today. The boys did a forward roll, got to stand on a balance beam, see bubbles and play with bells. It was so much fun and I really think it will help the boys with their core muscles and it at least gets us out of the house for a bit!!!

We went swimming also! The boys did alright for their real first time being in water above their waist.

Houston Traffic

Made me feed my boys alone for the second time ever... and yes they are 5 months old.
My MIL was in Houston traffic this morning so I put the in their infant seats and feed the boys their bottle. It worked out pretty well for the first time. My MIL showed up right when John finished his bottle so she was able to burp and feed him his oatmeal and prunes. This just goes to show me that I really can do it on my own when I am in a jam or when I am truly ready to take on my twins. Right now I am pretty scared to do it and I think that is because I am a first time mom and have never been down this road before. Will keep you updated as I start doing each feeding by myself.... who knows when I will get the guts to do that though!

CIO Day #2
Last night John did pretty well. He woke up at 2:14am and I just walked in his room and gave him is paci and walked out. He went back to sleep till 6am. At 6am I changed his diaper and tried to get him back to sleep. I guess it is my fault that didn't work, he pretty much was up till I got him out of bed at 7am. We will just keep trying!

CIO

Crying it out....

John did so well his first night with CIO. Last night he woke up on schedule at 4:12am. I went in and put my hand on his chest, gave him is paci and left. He kept crying so I went back in and changed his diaper and put him back down. He fell asleep by 4:20am. He woke back up around 5:15ish and wined for a couple of minutes then was quiet. Of course he was up at 7am but that is not too bad.
Brandon slept through all fussing and crying and woke up at 7:30 this morning!!!

Please pray that John gets the hang of soothing himself back to sleep and we all can get a full night sleep.

Some interesting things

Brandon flipped from tummy to back today all by himself. We are so proud!!!!

John has decided for the last 4 nights to not sleep through the night. We are not feeding him but he insists on waking up. He falls asleep after we hold him for a bit but when we put him back down he wails. It is so frustrating and daddy and I dont know what to do!

ok.... bye for now

****UPDATE****
John flipped over from tummy to back after our evening walk.

First June Post

First off I can not believe it is JUNE!!!!

Any how, I thought it was fitting to start of my June posting with something other that our beautiful little boys.... so here is my funny hubby trying to practice DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) . He is having a support outing for some co-workers this month and wants to work on his "skills"..... sad thing is, he is getting pretty good and is better than me!